THE STORY OF DENVER PLUMBER MICHAEL TEAGUE

Every man when young looks forward to achieving something with his life. For some men it’s starting a business, finishing college in some chosen field of study, or traveling to a far country to learn about and experience the world. Yet others long for a different kind of life, one built by a vocation — a calling, as it were — something that will allow them to start a family, and develop those relationships with the people who are closest to them. All along the way since he was in his twenties back in Cheyenne, Wyoming, Michael Teague wanted to start a family, alongside achieving specific, satisfactory goals that he set for himself. “Since graduation from high school I had always worked around water: sprinklers, swimming pools, an apprenticeship in plumbing”, he starts. “One of the things I’ve always known in my life was that I wanted to be a plumber.”

Training a new plumber is hard enough, but finding one who is already skilled and well-seasoned to add to your company team is a tough challenge. When he applied for a plumbing position with Chaput Rootmaster two years ago, he was looking for a place to grow for the long-term. He knew Chaput had a successful history as a licensed Denver plumbing company, and more importantly was a small company that could focus their business on customer satisfaction, one of Michael’s deeply held core values. “There is a certain kind of pleasure you get from that instant gratification of seeing the customer satisfied,” he says. Yet coming into his own with this reputable company was not without its challenges.

Although Chaput knew they were getting a rare but sharp needle in a haystack, he had to work through a few tough jobs. One in particular he recalls gave him a run for his money. “When I first started working on boilers, it was…uh, exciting”, he says as he smiles facetiously.

“I remember this one time when I burned my first transformer on a boiler. Somehow I wired a zone valve incorrectly and it burned out the transformer. This, of course, set the transformer on fire. Not good. So then I rewired it again and turned it back, after which it worked perfectly! The customer was satisfied with the end result, AND I was satisfied because I had fixed an especially difficult problem on my own, and consequently learned a new and valuable skill that I have since used to this day.”

Not only have they allowed him to become an even better plumbing technician than he was before, Chaput Rootmaster has provided the opportunity for him to continue fulfilling his vocation so that he can spend time more valuable time with his family. “I can tell you that being a plumber and having a family can be tough to juggle at times,” he says. “Things get busy, and there is more to do than you can imagine, but the rewards of a busy life are truly the satisfaction that comes from reaching the goals you set for yourself. I love being a plumber.” The end result of that, he says, is spending time with his precious family. “I can’t wait for the summertime, when I get to watch my son start the track season”, he says enthusiastically. “And when I get a chance to play baseball, tennis, go hiking….all with family of course.”

When is he most happy on the job? “When I’m working — taking care of the customer,” he says with glowing pride. Where would he be if he wasn’t working for Chaput Rootmaster? “Well, I’d still be in plumbing, but from another employer I probably wouldn’t have gotten the attention and opportunity I needed to become so much more excellent at what I do.”

John Paul Getty, the first billionaire in the United States, once said, “One man working with you is worth a dozen working for you,” and thanks to Chaput Rootmaster, Michael has a chance to become that kind of contribution.